S.C. African American Heritage Commission to screen documentary “Homegoings”

The public is invited to a screening of Homegoings, the soon-to-be broadcast PBS documentary directed and produced by Christine Turner and featuring South Carolina native and New York funeral home director Isaiah Owens.

Hosted by the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission, the screening takes place Thursday, June 13 at 5 p.m. at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. Call (843) 917-3350 by June 11 to reserve your seat.

Through the eyes of funeral director Isaiah Owens, Homegoings brings the beauty and grace of African-American funerals to life. Filmed at Owens Funeral Home in New York City’s historic Harlem neighborhood, the documentary takes an up-close look at the rarely seen world of undertaking in the black community, where funeral rites draw on a rich palette of tradition, history and celebration. Combining cinéma vérité with intimate interviews and archival photographs, the film paints a portrait of the dearly departed, their grieving families and a man who sends our loved ones “home.”

The evening will include a panel discussion about African American homegoing traditions. Panel members are Chris Leevy Johnson of Leevy’s Funeral Home in Columbia, James Flemming of Flemming Funeral Homes in Chesterfield, Rep. Anne Parks of Parks Funeral Home in Greenwood, and Herbert Fielding of Fielding Home for Funerals in Charleston. The panel will be moderated by Beryl Dakers, director of cultural programming and executive producer for outreach at South Carolina ETV.

This event is a collaboration with POV, PBS’ award-winning nonfiction film series.

Related: Read a New York Daily News article about the documentary.

Via: S.C. African American Heritage Commission